3D Semiconductor Interposer for Heterogeneous Integration of Standard Memory and Split-Architecture Processor

ABSTRACT

A standard memory chip ( 150 ) is vertically assembled with two processor chips ( 130, 140 ) of split architecture by means of a small silicon interposer ( 120 ) stacked onto a large silicon interposer ( 110 ); both interposers include through-silicon vias (TSVs), while the chips are free of TSVs. The TSVs of small interposer ( 120 ) connect to the memory chip ( 150 ) and to the bottom interposer ( 110 ). Symmetrically positioned relative to interposer ( 120 ), and connected to it by short signal traces, chips ( 130, 140 ) are attached to the TSVs of interposer  110 , which in turn is attached to a substrate ( 160 ) with supply connections.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related in general to the field ofsemiconductor devices and processes, and more specifically to the use oftwo semiconductor interposers for vertically stacking chips with splitarchitecture.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Since the invention of the integrated circuit, the course of circuitdevelopment was in the direction of combining ever more electronicfunctions into the circuit layout on a single chip. A well known exampleis the combination of logic and memory functions on a single chip. Thefunctions are constructed from electrical components such as resistors,capacitors, diodes, and transistors, which in turn are realized bylayouts on the chip. Comparing the layouts of contemporary chips itbecomes evident that the fabrication of the components for some layoutsneeds a higher number of process steps than the fabrication of thecomponents for other layouts.

The discrepancy in the number of fabrication steps is aggravated by thepersistent trend for more functions on a chip, leading to higher circuitcomplexity and larger chip sizes, combined with the ongoing marketpressure for miniaturization of the components, leading to shrinkingfeature sizes. Since the market further strongly encourages products ofreduced cost and increased reliability, the semiconductor industrystarted an effort in the last few years to split a single large chipwith a complex circuit into a plurality of chips with circuits ofclosely related features by using as separating lines characteristicssuch as technology nodes, or number of process steps or photomask steps.As examples, chips may be separated along the technology nodes 28 nmversus the 20 nm, or architectural splits for a system-on-a-chip intologic (for instance wireless lan chip) and memory (for example flashmemory chip). Since the flash memory requires several additionalphotomask, it is more economical to confine the cost adder to just thememory part.

After deciding to split an overly complex chip into a number of moreeconomical chips, a strategy for assembling the chips into a singlepackage has to be developed. For instance, in continuing the aboveexample of an architectural split of a system-on-a-chip, the device maybe a packaged chip stack with the wireless lan chip placed as the lowerchip of the stack and the flash memory chip as the upper chip; the lowerchip is attached to the package substrate with connections to externalparts. Wire bonds interconnect the upper chip to the lower chip and thelower chip to the substrate; the unavoidable IR drop caused by the wireshas to be taken into account. If a product would try to avoid the use ofbonding wires by creating metal-filled vias through the bottom chip(so-called TSVs, through-silicon vias), there would still remain issueswith the supply connection to the upper chip, and with an adequatenumber of connections and an adequate thermal dissipation path from theupper chip to the substrate. In addition, TSVs through integratedcircuit chips add significant cost and have to overcome problems withdifferent coefficients of thermal expansion (CTE) between silicon andthe metal in the TSVs.

A proposal has recently been made to avoid TSVs in integrated circuitchips by building a stacked device from units wherein each chip isflip-connected on an individual silicon interposer with TSVs. In orderto integrate the building blocks, the interposers have a larger areathan the chips so that they form overhangs over the chip areas; metalpillars can then provide the interconnection between the interposers andfrom the interposers to the substrate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Applicants recognized in a market analysis that a semiconductor devicewith an industry-standard high bandwidth memory chip (as the marketrequires) tied to a system-on-a-chip (SOC) based on a split-chiparchitecture has numerous product applications as long as the devicesaves real estate and is cost-effective. Investigating examples ofsplit-chip architecture, a first sub-chip of higher performance may befabricated along specifications of the 20 nm technology, while a secondsub-chip of lower performance may be fabricated along specifications ofthe 28 nm technology. An approach of assembling the sub-chips and thememory chip with through-silicon via (TSV) technology would require thatTSVs be formed in the sub-chips of the SOC so that the sub-chips can bestacked on a substrate with the memory chip on top. Applicants foundthat the vertical assembly, in any order, causes supply problems (IRdrop limitation) and thermal dissipation issues for the sub-chips.

Applicants further found that another approach of employing a standardsilicon interposer for assembling side-by-side the chips of the splitSOC architecture and attaching the interposer to a substrate would onlyprovide wide bandwidth connection to one of the two SOC chips, but nowide I/O connection the other chip. The signal paths of the standardinterposer for connecting the wide I/O memory to the second chip wouldbecome excessively long. Furthermore, the assembly would benon-symmetrical and result in an overhang of the memory chip to oneside, causing a size increase of the overall device, leading tonon-balanced stresses and reliability issues.

Applicants solved the problem of vertically stacking standard memory totwo chips of split architecture when they discovered a 3D interposerconcept utilizing two silicon interposers with through-silicon vias(TSVs) stacked on top of each other. The top interposer connects to thememory chip, while the bottom interposer includes short and preferablysymmetrical signal paths to the two chips of the split architecture.Both chips are attached to the bottom interposer and do not need TSVs;the bottom interposer in turn is attached to the substrate.

An exemplary embodiment of the invention has a first silicon interposerwith three sets of TSVs arrayed across the interposer area. The firstset allows the attachment of the first chip of the split SOCarchitecture, and the second set allows the attachment of the secondchip of the SOC architecture. The third set, positioned about in themiddle between the first and the second sets, allows the connection toTSVs of a second interposer positioned vertically on the firstinterposer in the region of the third set. A standard memory chip isvertically attached to the TSVs of the second interposer and connectedto the two chips of the split SOC architecture by horizontal traces fromthe third TSV set to the first and second TSV sets of the firstinterposer. The second interposer has a relatively small size comparedto the first interposer.

It is a technical advantage that applicants' solution provides anapproximately symmetrical construction of the stacked-chip device, thusminimizing the needed board real estate and avoiding unbalancedthermo-mechanical stress within the device, enhancing devicereliability.

It is another technical advantage of applicants' solution that the twochips of the split SOC architecture, which require involved front-endprocess flows at the cutting edge of technology and are thus valuable,do not need TSVs so that the required TSVs remain restricted to the twosilicon interposers, keeping costs as low as possible.

As another technical advantage, the use of TSVs provides significantlylower inductance and resistance than wire bonds and also good inductancescaling with shorter and smaller future TSVs.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a cross section of an exemplary embodiment of theinvention showing two silicon interposers with TSVs for verticallystacking a standard memory chip to the chips of a split SOCarchitecture.

FIG. 2 is a top view of an exemplary first interposer, indicating theassembly sites for two chips having split architecture and a secondinterposer.

FIG. 3 shows a cutaway of a through-silicon-via (TSV) as a metal-filledvia hole, extending from one surface to the opposite surface of asilicon wafer, together with portions of interconnecting surface traces.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary semiconductor device generallydesignated 100 as an embodiment of the invention. Device 100 includes afirst silicon interposer 110, a second silicon interposer 120, a firstsemiconductor chip 130, a second semiconductor chip 140, and a thirdsemiconductor chip 150. Device 100 further includes a substrate 160, andmay also include a packaging compound 170 encapsulating the interposers110 and 120, first chip 130 and second chip 140, and at least portionsof third chip 150. The not-encapsulated surface 150 b of third chip 150may serve as an attachment site for a heat spreader or heat sink,promoting effective cooling of stacked device 100.

As FIG. 1 shows, first silicon interposer 110 has a thickness 110 d, afirst surface 110 a and an opposite second surface 110 b; thickness 110d is preferably 50 μm, but other interposers may be thicker of thinner.A plurality of through-silicon vias (TSVs) extend through firstinterposer 110 from the first surface 110 a to the second surface 110 b.The plurality of TSVs is arrayed in a first set 111, a second set 112,and a third. set 113. In an exemplary arrangement, these sets aredisplayed in FIG. 2 for the case of a processor with split architectureand a standard memory. These examples, however, should not be construedin a limiting sense, since the large number of semiconductor devicefamilies offers numerous similar examples.

FIG. 2 indicates that adjacent TSVs are parallel to each other. At theinterface to the semiconductor material, the side walls of each TSV arestraight, but not necessarily parallel to each other; preferably, theTSV has a cylindrical shape, as shown in an enlargement of a TSV in FIG.3. The sidewalls may in some embodiments have the shape of a truncatedcone. In other embodiments, the cross section of the holes may berectangular, hexagonal, or in any other outline compatible with thecrystalline orientation of the semiconductor material. The diameter 301of the etched TSV is preferably selected in the range from about 10 to40 μm; a preferred choice is 25 μm.

A number of methods are practiced to fabricate a TSV as illustrated inFIG. 3: The via hole may be opened and filled as the first step in aprocess flow, or after conductive traces and some circuitry have beenfabricated, or as the last step after fabricating conductive traces andcircuitry. In a preferred method, the hole for a TSV is etched while thesemiconductor material is still in wafer form, and has a depth 302 inthe range from 70 to 150 μm. A dielectric compound such as siliconnitride or silicon dioxide is deposited on the TSV sidewalls after theetching step in order to create a thin (<1 μm) insulating liner 303between the semiconductor material and the conductive compounds insidethe TSV.

Thereafter, a metal seed layer is deposited (<1 μm thick) on theinsulating layer (not shown in FIG. 3). The selection of the seed metalor metal compound depends on the choice of the metal for filling theTSV; a preferred seed metal is tantalum nitride. Then, the etched holeis filled with metal 304; a preferred filler metal is copper. Thedeposition of the filler metal may be performed before the waferthinning (grinding) process or after the thinning step. Before filling(in some devices after filling) the via hole with metal, a network ofpatterned metal layer 116 is created, which provides interconnections oninterposer surface 110 b. Exposed portions 116 a of metallization 116may be made solderable by depositing a layer 116 b of nickel followed bya layer of palladium or gold onto portions 116 a.

The process step of thinning the wafer, by grinding or etching or both,continues until the bottom of the via hole is exposed and the depositedmetal can be accessed. The thinning step may be continued for anadditional short period of time to expose an end portion 304 a of thefilling metal 304; subsequently, end portion 304 a may be covered with asolderable metal layer 305 such as nickel, palladium, gold, or acombination of these layers. The remaining semiconductor thickness 302is preferably about 50 μm for some devices and 100 μm for other devices.

After the thinning step, the silicon wafer for fabricating theinterposer is inverted so that the original surface 110 b (referred toas second surface) becomes the bottom and an insulating layer 310 may bedeposited on first surface 110 a. For example, a polyimide compound maybe used followed by patterned metal connection 115, which may, forinstance, be made of copper or an eutectic gold-germanium alloy (12.5weight % Ge, eutectic temperature 361° C.); conductive connections 115 aprovide an electrical contact to the TSVs. For creating connections inthe assembly process, the solderable layers 305 and 116 b, together withsmall amounts of solder of low melting temperature, from high-meltingintermetallics so that the connections withstand temperature excursionsand will not open up by re-flowing of solder.

FIG. 2 illustrates the top view of an exemplary first interposer 110with rectangular shape; other first interposers may be square-shapedwith exemplary side lengths of 10 mm by 10 mm, or 12 mm by 12 mm, orother dimensions. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the first TSV set 111 islocated in a first interposer region 211, In FIG. 2 close to periphery110 c of the interposer. The TSVs are not individually shown in FIG. 2,but the TSVs of the first set 111 match the terminals of the firstsemiconductor chip 130; dependent on the device type, the number of TSVsmay be several hundred to more than one thousand. First set 111 includesa sub-set 111 a of TSVs (also not individually shown, may be more thanone thousand), which matches the terminals of the memory I/Os of firstchip 130. While for many device types sub-set 111 a is centrally locatedwithin set 111, in the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2 sub-set 111 islocated off-center within set 111. In the exemplary embodiment, firstchip 130 may be the high performance chip of the split TOO architecture,may have a thickness 130 d of 50 μm, and be fabricated for instance by arelatively advanced semiconductor technology such as the 20 nmtechnology. In the exemplary embodiment, chip 130 may have a size 4 mmby 12 mm.

As FIG. 1 shows, the terminals of chip 130 are attached by solder bumps131 to the matching TSVs of the set 111 on the first interposer surface110 a. Alternatively, copper pillars (for instance with 30 μm diameter)may be used instead of solder bumps. As commonly expressed, chip 130 is“flipped” on interposer 110; consequently, chip 130 is verticallystacked on the first surface 110 a of first interposer 110. After theattachment by solder bumps, the height 132 of thickness 130 d of firstchip 130 together with the solder bumps is herein referred to as firstheight.

It is a technical advantage that first chip 130 may remain free of TSVs,a fact which avoids an otherwise significant cost adder.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the second TSV set 112 is located in a secondinterposer region 212, which in FIG. 2 is close to interposer periphery110 e opposite the first TSV set 111. The TSVs are not individuallyshown in FIG. 2, but the TSVs of the second set 112 match the terminalsof the second semiconductor chip 140; dependent on the device type, thenumber of TSVs may be several hundred to more than one thousand. Secondset 112 includes a sub-set 112 a of TSVs (also not individually shown,may be more than one thousand), which matches the terminals of thememory I/Os of second chip 140. As the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2illustrates, sub-set 112 a does not have to be centrally located withinset 112, but for many device types is indeed centrally located. In theexemplary embodiment, chip 140 may be the lower performance chip of thesplit TOO architecture, may have a thickness 140 d of 50 μm, and befabricated for instance by a relatively mature semiconductor technologysuch as the 28 nm technology. In the exemplary embodiment, chip 140 mayhave a size 6 mm by 12 mm.

As FIG. 1 shows, the terminals 141 of chip 140 are attached by solderbumps to the matching TSVs of the set 112 on the first interposersurface 110 a. Alternatively, copper pillars may be used instead ofsolder bumps. As commonly expressed, chip 140 is “flipped” on interposer110; consequently, chip 140 is vertically stacked on the first surface110 a of first interposer 110. After the attachment by solder bumps, theheight 142 of thickness 140 d of second chip 140 together with thesolder bumps is herein referred to as second height.

It is a technical advantage that second chip 140 may remain free ofTSVs, a fact which avoids an otherwise significant cost adder.Furthermore, it should be mentioned that, due to the high thermalconductivity of silicon, first interposer 110 helps the thermaldissipation of operational heat created by the chips, especially by thehigh performance chip 130.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the third TSV set 113 is located between thefirst interposer region 211 and second interposer regions 212,preferably about in the middle of the interposer. More preferably, thirdset 113 is symmetrical between first set 111 and second set 112. TheTSVs are not individually shown in FIG. 2 (may be more than onethousand), but the TSVs of the third set match the terminals of thirdsemiconductor chip 150. In the exemplary embodiment, chip 150 may be astandard memory chip with terminals located preferably in the centerregion of the chip. The TSVs of the third set provide direct power andground connections to the memory chip 150.

FIG. 1 indicates that the TSVs of the third set 113 have conductivetraces 114 to TSVs of the first set 111 and of the second set 112(traces not shown in FIG. 2). Traces 114 distribute memoryinterconnections to the terminals of first chip 130 and to the terminalsof second chip 140. In the preferred embodiment, traces 114 take theshortest route to the respective TSVs of first chip 130 and second chip140 so that IR losses and other parasitic losses are minimized.Additional traces integral with interposer 110 provide interconnectionsbetween chips 130 and 140.

In the preferred embodiment (see FIG. 1), second silicon interposer 120has a an area of about 2 mm by 12 mm, and a height of 50 μm; this sizeis small compared to first interposer 110, which may have an exemplaryarea of 10 mm by 10 mm, or 12 mm by 12 mm. Second interposer 120 has athird surface 120 a and an opposite fourth surface 120 b. A plurality ofthrough-silicon vias (TSVs) extend through second interposer 120 fromthe third surface 120 a to the fourth surface 120 b. The plurality ofTSVs matches the terminals of third semiconductor chip 150. The ends onsurface 120 a and surface 120 b of the TSVs through second interposer120 are preferably solderable. The matching TSVs of the secondinterposer 120 are attached by solder bumps 121 to respective TSVs ofthe third set 113 on the first interposer surface 110 a. Alternatively,copper pillars may be used instead of solder bumps. Consequently,interposer 120 is vertically stacked on the first surface 110 a ofinterposer 110, giving first interposer 120 the characteristic of athree-dimensional (3D) interposer.

As FIG. 1 indicates, height 122 of second interposer 120 together withthe solder bumps 121 for the attachment to first interposer 110 is atleast as great as first height 132 and second height 142.

It is a technical advantage of the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 withsecond silicon interposer 120 that by using a standard memory chip 150with JEDEC standard interface, the employment of a custom memory withtwo interfaces to the two chips 130 and 140 can be avoided; thatapproach would lead to unsolvable alignment accuracy issues.

It is another technical advantage of using a second (small) interposerconnected to a first (large) interposer that the first interposerprovides connection from the second interposer to the two chips (ofsplit architecture) in parallel, further short distance connectionsbetween the chips, and further good supply connections to both chips,relieving IR issues. The stacking architecture may be symmetrical,avoiding unbalanced stress.

It is an additional technical advantage that the interposers, being madeof silicon, provide improved heat dissipation, as well as the samecoefficient of expansion as the chips and thus avoid thermo-mechanicalstress.

The terminals of third chip 150, which is preferably a standard memorychip, are soldered, preferably by solder bumps 151, to the TSVs ofsecond interposer 120. The additional height of the solder bumpstogether with height 122 (which is at least as great as height 132 andheight 142) insures that chip 150 does not touch chip 130 or chip 140.As a result, third chip 150 is vertically stacked on second interposer120, yet separate from chips 130 and 140. Further, third chip 150 mayremain free of TSVs, avoiding an otherwise significant cost adder.

The ends of the TSVs of the first, second and third set are exposed onsecond surface 110 b of first interposer 110. These TSV ends arepreferably solderable and may be interconnected by patterned metal layer116. Alternatively, the TSV of the first, second, and third set may endin solderable metal pads on surface 110 b.

FIG. 1 indicates that device 100 further includes a substrate 160 madeof insulating material and integral with conductive vertical andhorizontal traces. For the exemplary device 100 of FIG. 1, the substratemay be square-shaped with a side length of 14 mm by 14 mm, or 16 mm by16 mm. Substrate 160 preferably has solderable contact pads on itssurface 160 a facing second surface 110 b of the first interposer. Aplurality of these contact pads matches the ends of the TSVs throughinterposer 110 and the metal pads on the second surface 110 b of thefirst interposer. As depicted in FIG. 1, solder bumps 118 connect theinterposer TSVs ends and the metal pads on surface 110 b with thesubstrate contact pads. Alternatively, copper pillars (for instance with30 μm diameter) may be used for interconnecting. As a result, firstinterposer 110 is vertically stacked upon substrate 160.

Substrate 160 has on its surface 160 b, which is opposite firstinterposer 110, contact pads 161 suitable for interconnection toexternal parts, including power supply and electrical ground. The numberof solder bumps may high so that IR drop problems may be effectivelyavoided. As a preferred example, FIG. 1 depicts solder balls 170 asinterconnecting means. Alternatively, pressure contacts may be used toconnect to pads 161.

In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, solder bumps are usedfor interconnecting chips and interposers; as mentioned, however, analternative interconnection method employs copper pillars. When solderbumps are used, the reflow temperature of the solder compound selectedfor a certain process step should preferably be lower than the reflowtemperature of the solder compound employed for the previous step sothat the interconnections made in the previous assembly step would notre-melt. Consequently, in the preferred process flow, reflow temperatureof bumps 151<reflow temperature of bumps 131, 141, and 121<reflowtemperature of bumps 118. When solder bumps 170 are employed forconnecting device 100 to external parts, preferably reflow temperatureof bumps 170<reflow temperature of bumps 151.

When copper pillars are used, the amount of solder attached to thepillar tips and intended for interconnections is preferably kept sosmall that the solder compound is fully consumed to form intermetallicsduring the assembly process. Since re-melt temperatures ofintermetallics are high, there is usually no risk of opening uppreviously formed connections during subsequent attachment steps.

While this invention has been described in reference to illustrativeembodiments, this description is not intended to be construed in alimiting sense. Various modifications and combinations of theillustrative embodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention,will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to thedescription. As an example, the memory chip does not have to be astandard memory chip, by may be any memory chip. As another example, theinterposers may be made of any material with a coefficient of thermalexpansion (CTE) close to the CTE of the circuit chips.

As yet another example, the concept of a three-dimensional semiconductorinterposer including a large-size and a small-size interposer can beapplied to the assembly of any three circuit chips, wherein thesmall-size interposer is attached approximately in the middle of thelarge size interposer with two of the chips positioned approximatelysymmetrical to the small-size interposer.

It is therefore intended that the appended claims encompass any suchmodifications or embodiment.

We claim:
 1. A semiconductor device comprising: a first siliconinterposer having a first and an opposite second surface and first TSVsextending through the first interposer from the first to the secondsurface, the first TSVs arrayed in a first, a second, and third set; thefirst set located in a first interposer region and matching theterminals of a first chip soldered to the first set, wherein the firstchip is vertically stacked upon the first surface of the firstinterposer, the first chip together with the solder having a firstheight; the second set located in a second interposer region andmatching the terminals of a second chip soldered to the second set,wherein the second chip is vertically stacked upon the first surface ofthe first interposer, the second chip together with the solder having asecond height; and the third set located between the first and secondregions and matching the terminals of a second silicon interposer, theTSVs of the third set connected by conductive traces to TSVs of thefirst and the second sets; a second silicon interposer having a thirdand an opposite fourth surface and second TSVs extending through thesecond interposer from the third to the fourth surface, the second TSVsmatching the terminals of a third semiconductor chip; the secondinterposer soldered to the third TSV set, wherein the second interposeris vertically stacked on the first interposer, the height of the secondinterposer together with the solder being at least as great as the firstand the second heights; and the third chip soldered to the secondinterposer, wherein the third chip is vertically stacked upon the secondinterposer.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein the first and the secondchips are portions of a system-on-chip having a split architecture. 3.The device of claim 2 wherein the first chip includes the higherperformance portion of the system-on-chip and the second chip the lowerperformance portion.
 4. The device of claim 3 wherein the third chip isa standard memory chip.
 5. The device of claim 1 wherein the first,second, and third chips are free of TSVs.
 6. The device of claim 1wherein location of the third TSV set is symmetrical between the firstand the second region.
 7. The device of claim 1 wherein the conductivetraces of the third set TSVs are located on the first surface of thefirst interposer.
 8. The device of claim 1 further including on thesecond surface of the first interposer solderable metal pads for theTSVs of the first, second and third sets.
 9. The device of claim 1further including a substrate having on its surface facing the firstinterposer solderable contact pads matching the pads on the secondsurface of the first interposer.
 10. The device of claim 9 furtherincluding solder bumps connecting the first interposer to the substratecontact pads, wherein the first interposer is vertically stacked uponthe substrate.
 11. The device of claim 9 wherein the substrate has, onits surface opposite the first interposer, contact pads forinterconnection to external parts including power and ground terminals.12. The device of claim 1 wherein the first TSVs have first solderableends on the first surface and second solderable ends on the secondsurface, and the second TSVs have third solderable ends on the thirdsurface and fourth solderable ends on the fourth surface.
 13. The deviceof claim 1 further including a polymeric packaging compoundencapsulating the first, second and third chip and the first and secondinterposer.
 14. A method for fabricating a semiconductor devicecomprising the steps of: providing a first chip having a firstterminals, a second chip having second terminals, and a third chiphaving third terminals; providing a first silicon interposer havingfirst TSVs and a second silicon interposer having second TSVs, the firstTSVs arrayed in a first, a second, and a third set; the first setlocated in a first interposer region and matching the first terminals;the second set located in a second interposer region and matching thesecond terminals; and the third set located in a third interposer regionbetween the first and second regions and matching the TSVs of the secondinterposer and the third terminals; aligning the first chip with thefirst set TSVs, the second chip with the second set TSVs, and the secondinterposer with the third set TSVs; using solder of a first meltingtemperature.